COVID-19 as the trigger of change
As the so called "First wave" fades out at least in Europe, Governments and the WHO are listing a number of behaviours helpful to reduce the risk of contagion. Some major changes will take place in the next future to fight the virus. Public transports such as bus, train, airplane, ferry and metro are normally crowded and with low airflow, making them the best way for the virus to spread. For this reason, chaining our way of commuting will be crucial to avoid the virus to spread. In addition, it seems there is a moderate correlation between the lethality of COVID-19 and air pollution of a specific area. A research published in the Journal Science of the Total Environment, compared NO2 levels from January to March different areas with COVID-19 deaths.
The research shows that - deaths were located in four regions in northern Italy and one around Madrid. These, had the worst combination of NO2 levelsd and airflow conditions that stopped air pollution to be dispersed or blown away.
Quoting Prof Jonathan Grigg (Queen Mary University of London) words regarding this research:
“This association could reflect a causal link between exposure to air pollution and increased vulnerability to fatal Covid infection, but other factors cannot be ruled out at this stage. For example, the study does not adjust for differences in age distribution in different areas.”
It was pretty awesome to see the pollution maps of cities all around the world dropping their PM2.5 (levels of harmful microscopic particulate matter). Cities like New Delhi, Seoul, Wuhan and Mumbai, saw significant improvements in air quality. In some places where the sky was dull grey due to pollution these lockdowns made possible for some people to look at the blue sky again, even if locked-in their flats.
As restrictions are softened some Governments are taking this opportunity to invest in more eco-friendly behaviours and to change urban transport in light of the coronavirus. France is encouraging people to cycle to keep pollution levels low once lockdown restrictions end. This fund will also cover cycle trainings and temporary parking spaces. As well in Italy, some bonuses to purchase a new bicycle are expected soon.
What are other European cities doing?
Paris is banning private cars from some central streets such as the famous Rue de Rivoli, which will be reshaped only with separate lanes for bicycles and for public transports, emergency vehicles and certain deliveries. This measures will be enforced for the entire duration of the pandemic. However, if it proves itself successful, the French Government will make it permanent, according to Mayor Anne Hidalgo. On top of that, Paris aims to create cycle lanes along the paths of its busiest Metro lines, she said. Milan has started reallocating road space away from cars. The Belgian capital, Brussels on has started building 40km of additional cycle lanes to promote cycling over public transports. Finally, in Berlin, the authorities have temporarily made larger some cycle lanes expecting an increase in bicycle traffic. Grant Shapps, UK transport minister, announce massive investment to boost cycling around the country.
If on one hand this pandemic has brought many new challenges and problems to face in the short and long term future, on the other hand it has provided many opportunities to improve our life-style and leave behind some bad behaviours.
Care and share!!
Live pono!
Image credit: pixabay
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